“I have an HP laptop and I choose to use my own desktop background which is different from that supplied by the manufacturer. I prefer a background that is not too dark and not too light but gives good contrast.” Yusuf (Computer Science)
The desktop settings on a Windows computer can be changed via the Control Panel > Personalization and there you can choose themes or high contrast modes etc. The Ease of Access Center also offers more ways of changing the way things look on the screen.
“I can listen to a webcast and take notes. Previously, this required getting transportation to the presentation and lugging a Braille notetaker. Now I use my netbook for the webcast and my phone with external keyboard and the DraftPad app to take notes.”
DraftPad is free and offers a very accessible interface that can be used with VoiceOver or once the text has been copied, then select ‘Speak’. It allows you to send or share your notes via email, SMS and social networking sites as well as open them in other apps that may be on your device such as DocsToGo for more formatting, Evernote for linking with other notes, DropBox for sharing or backing up file. The app also links with text speaking apps such as SpeakText Free.
This strategy came thanks to Pat Pound on My Life Simplified via Accessible Web and Apps!
“Coach’s Eye is an iOS5 app available through iTunes for £3 that can be used on the iPhone iPad and iPod. It allows you to add audio and visual feedback to new and imported videos. Particularly useful for sports and performing arts although it could be used with providing feedback on any visual practical process e.g. silversmithing techniques. For some good examples of the app in use watch the YouTube video
The swimming and karate kick examples are fairly good.”
Kevin Brunton, Going mobile, apps and devices (download docx) ADSHE.
“It wasn’t until I had my vision tested that I discovered I had a green colour deficiency and so colour overload is a problem, such as occurs in some pie-charts. I tend to use blue as this is usually a safe colour for presentations and when developing web pages if you have a colour deficiency – blue, pale colours. When items are highlighted, the text goes white on a blue background.
To show you how this looks I have made a PowerPoint presentation about colour deficiencies – it is available for download from Slideshare.”
Jim – Computer Science.
“I tend to set up the screen resolution and brightness [on the iPad] to suit my eyes depending on the time of day and lighting. My first job was working in sales but then I took a degree and from then on have really made the most of computer skills to see me through work and any further studies.
I use the iPad as a third monitor (to hold my notes, whilst I write), as a fantastic desktop calculator, to watch the BBC iPlayer in bed, to check and send emails, I use it in front of the television if I am watching a video to check up on facts etc!
The ONLY downside of the iPad is …weight.I wouldn’t want to stand on the tube reading The Times on it for 40 minutes.It has colour, which is missing on the Kindle, and you can browse the ‘real’ Amazon with iPad and read Kindle books [via the Kindle app]. I also do not like the page transform on the Kindle (the page goes black for a second and then refreshes with your new page). Very annoying to my eyesight.
On the iPad you can adjust colour from bright white to beige – I like beige and you have 6 font sizes – finally I run the actual brightness at around 20% but the glossy screen means that it can be difficult to read in direct sunlight whereas the Kindle will work quite happily on the beach!For me the Kindle screen is too small (6″) as opposed to iPad (9.7″)”
Richard – Computer Science
” I find if I use the LiveScribe with the ear buds just hanging loosely round my neck, then the microphone from the pen does not pick up the scratching when writing, but still records the lecture or meeting” (You need the digital pen with the special paper notepads and the software for transferring notes to the computer or tablet and it can be used with Evernote)
Ursula